With the release of their latest EP 'Cough & Splutter' in June, Perth rockers The Love Junkies head into the New Year on a high.
Guitarist Robbie Rumble says 'Cough & Splutter' was a much-welcome return to the band's heavier, punk and thrash roots of their debut album. “I think everyone responded to the EP pretty well,” Robbie says.
“It's a lot heavier than the stuff we've done; as far as the punk vibe goes we haven't done that stuff in a little while, probably since 'Maybelene' I guess. So I think everyone was pretty happy with going back to the heavy vibes.”
'Cough & Splutter' is the first record featuring the writing talents of their new bassist, Harley Barnaby (formerly of FOAM), with Robbie transitioning into the role of guitarist.
Robbie says the shift has given The Love Junkies an extra edge in terms of the music they now produce. “This is the first year we've been writing with Harley in the band, so we've been trying get used to the dynamic change,” he says.
“It was really good to get Harley on bass because I've been wanting to play guitar for ages. So he just fit in really naturally. As far as writing goes with him, he pretty much writes amazing basslines straight away; it doesn't take him long to figure a song out.
“He's the perfect fit really, to be honest. He probably fit better into playing bass than I fit into playing guitar at the start, that's for sure.”
The Love Junkies play a New Year's Eve show at Badlands Bar, bidding farewell to 2017 with the likes of Hideous Sun Demon, GUM (the side project of Tame Impala's Jay Watson), Pond frontman Nicholas Allbrook playing a solo set and a whole lot more across two stages. “I'm psyched about that show, the line-up's f@#$ing sick,” Robbie says.
“I'm pretty happy we're going to be playing the countdown slot; it's going to be pretty wild I reckon. We haven't really got any plans for it; we usually try to play a cover for a New Year's show but we haven't really talked about it yet.”
Once 2017 is neatly stowed away in the past, The Love Junkies keep the party rocking in the New Year when they headline the annual North Freo Pub Crawl.
The Pub Crawl turns Tydeman Road into a gauntlet of beers and bands, with four stages across the Railway and Swan hotels. “It's just a few venues around North Fremantle and we pick a whole bunch of bands that we like and that we want to play with, and we get them into the venue and have a big gig,” Robbie says.
“We've been headlining it every year... and it's getting bigger and bigger every year, which is cool. There's a couple of venues within walking distance from each other so there will be different vibes, like acoustic acts at one venue.”
The Love Junkies play Badlands Bar (Perth) New Year's Eve and The Railway Hotel for the North Freo Pub Crawl (Fremantle) 27 January.
